James Taylor’s Test debut for England at Headingley on Thursday has forced the
British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to rejig its roster of racecourse
starters.

Taylor’s father Steve is a long-serving BHA starter who was due to be on duty at Nottingham’s Colwick Park this afternoon until Ravi Bopara made himself unavailable for selection for personal reasons and James was called up.

Steve, who was on duty at Leicester on Wednesday night, has been given the off so that he and his wife Carol can be at Headingley to watch James face South Africa. Steve returns to starter’s duties on Friday at Thirsk, just up the road from Headingley.

“We were thrilled when we heard that James was in the Test squad,” Mr Taylor said. “It’s everything he’s strived for and I’m a very proud dad. We were determined to be at Headingley but I’ve only managed to get one day off.”

Before becoming a starter, Steve Taylor had nine years as a National Hunt jockey between 1966 and 1975 before hip and back injuries forced him into retirement just as his career appeared to be taking off.

He also had a brief spell as an apprentice footballer with Sheffield United before an ankle ligament injury forced him to turn to racing. James appears to have inherited some of his father’s all-round sporting ability.

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“James rode ponies when he was younger and he’s also a very good skier," Mr Taylor said. "He was also a good footballer which is one of the reasons why he went to Shrewsbury School because it’s got a very good reputation for football.

“But his talent at cricket was obvious from an early age. When he was a schoolboy he was in Worcestershire’s academy which was close to Shrewsbury. It meant that we had to make a lot of sacrifices and we used to make regular 500-mile round trips every Sunday.”

Those sacrifices will be worth it today and the Taylors will not be complaining at having to make an early-morning trip up the M1.